The following message was recently posted on your site concerning the topic of RAF Manston.
When Len Deighton made the comment in his book FIGHTER a furious Sdn Ldr Cardew said that he would sue Deighton unless he produced chapter an verse about the incident. He didn't get a reply. But then Deighton did show a propensity for a little romancing! No doubt there were frightened men in the shelters, and wouldn't you be if you being strafed by Me109s and bombing at low level, Dornier 17s and Ju88 the same - and some of it went on for hours - best place was the shelters.
I personally spoke to Bee Beamont in 2003 about this, knowing that he commanded 609 Sdn. His reply was that it was 'utter tosh.' No incident of that nature ever appeared in the official archives of the time. Nuff said.
I forwarded the message to Len Deighton for his comments.
His reply is listed below, I am sure that in the interests of balance and fairness that you will wish his reply to be recorded.
Dear Colin,
After 'Fighter' was published I did get about half a dozen letters
confirming the incident in one way or another.
It wasn't anything like a mutiny. It was simply RAF men refusing to come
out of the air raid shelter when ordered to do so. Apparently the men
were young recruits who had just arrived from square bashing training in
the North of England where they had never suffered air raids. Manston
was of course at the very 'front line' of the German attacks.
I believe some of the civilians employed at Manston did the same.
I have never heard of Squadron Ldr Cardew .
With every good wish
Yours truly
Len Deighton